John Paston to Sir John Paston

Add. 34889, f. 101

22 June 1470

Gairdner, Vol V, item 746; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 103

LETTER CIII.

           To Syr Iohn Paston Knyght
           or to Thom's Stomptys to delyuer
           to ye seyd Syr Iohn.

      RYGHT worchepfull Syr and my specyall good brodyr I
          recomand me to yow And for as myche as I can not send
yow good tydygs ye shall haue syche as K knowe It is so y^t on
Wednysday last past ye and I. Pampyg and Edmund Broom wer
endyttyd of felonye at the sessyons her in norwyche for shotyg
of a gonne at Caster in August last past whyche goone slowghe
tow men J Pampyg and Broom as pryncypall and ye as Acces-
sary notwtstandyg ¹ Townysend and ² Lommer held an oppyn-
you that the v^rdytt is voyd for ther wer ij of thenqwest that wold
not agre to thendyttment and in as myche as they ij wer agreyd
in othyr maters and not in that and that they two wer not dys-
chargyd fro the remanat at syche tym as that v^rdythe of yowyr
endytmet was gouyn ther oppynyon is that all the vrdyght is
voyde as well of all othyr maters as of yowyr whedyr ther opy-
nyon be good or not J can not detrmyne nor them sylf neythyr
I pray yow let not thys mater be slept for I can thynk that my
lord of Norff Consaylle wyll cawse the wedows to tak an apell
and to remeue it up in to the kyngs benche at the begynyg of
thys term Townysend hathe promysyd me that he shall be at
london on twysday next comyg and then ye may comon w^t hym
in that mater and take hys auyse It' townysend and lemnor
thynk that and ye haue good Consayll ye may Justyfye the kep-
yng of the plase for the pesybyll possessyon that ye haue had
in it mor then iij yeer but in conclusyon all thys is doo for
nowght ellys but for to enforse yow to take a dyreccyon wt my
lord of Norff. I undyrstood by R. Lothewell for he and J como-
nyd in thys mater ryght largely betwyx hem and me Jn so
myche he tellyth me that and J be at london in the wek next
aftyr Seynt Petyr at whych tyme he shall be ther hym sylf he
seyth y^t my lady hathe promysyd me hyr good ladyshep and
sent me woord by hym in as myche as he spak fo me to hyr
that she wold remebyr myn old seruyse and for get the gret
dysplesyr in syche wyse that J shall undyrstand that the swtte y^t
J haue mad to my lord hyr husbond and hyr shall torne to yo^r
Auantage and myn more then we weene as yett or shall undyr-
stand tyll syche tyme as I haue spokyn w^t hyr good grace and
upon thys promesse J haue promysyd sothewell to meet w^t hym
at london that same weeke next aftyr seyt Petyr Wherfor I wold
passygly fayne yt ye wer in london at y^t season or nye abowght
london so that J myght undyesland at yo^r plase wher y^t I myght
spek w^t yow or then I spek wt my lady J p'pose to go to
³ Cant^rbery on foot thys next week w^t godds grace and so to com
to london fro thense I pray yow se y^t I be sase for Parker and
Herry Coletts matter ⁴ Sothewell told me thys that if so be y^t
ye wyll yo^r sylf ye shall haue bothe good lordship and ladyshep
and mony or lond or both and all yo^r maters set cler what y^t he
menyth I can not sey As for all othyr maters in thys Contre I
shall do as well as I may for fawt of monye tyll spek w^t yow
J haue many collars on as J shall tell yow when I Come No
more but god preserue yo^w nad yors. wretyn at Norwyche fryday
next aftyr Corpus Xpi daye.
                                                                                  ⁵ J.P.

J ded as myche as I kowd to haue lettyd thendyttment but it
wold not be as I shall enform you and Townysend knowyth
the same.

11 ? by 10 ?.

I have given this Letter as not only containing a case of law, but to shew the steps
taken by the Duke of Norfolk's counsel, to harrass and distress Sir John Paston and his
party, for the death of two men who, I presume, were shot by those in the place during
the siege of Caister.

¹ It appears from this and some other Letter is this Collection, that the Townshend
therein mentioned was a Lawyer.

It is therefore most probable that the person was Roger Townshend, of Lincoln's Inn,
afterwards a Serjeant at Law, and by Richard III. appointed one of the Judges of the
Common Pleas, in which important office he was continued by Henry VII. andknighted.

His second Son John (the issue of the elder being extinct) was ancester to the present
most noble the Marquis Townshend, of Rainham, in Norfolk.

² Lumnor was a relation of the Pastons, and his family were fituated at Mannington,
in Norfolk.

³ On pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, I suppose.

⁴ Richard Southwell, Esq. of Wood-Rising; he acquired this Estates by marrying Amy,
Daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Wichingham, Knight.

⁵ Autograph. Pl. XXV. N^o. 21. Seal, a Fleur de Lys and Annulet. Pl. XIV. N^o. 22.

LETTER CIII.

To Sir John Paston, Knight, or to Thomas Stomps, to deliver to
the said Sir John.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, and my special good brother, I
recommend me to you; and for as much as I cannot send
you good tidings, ye shall have such as I know.

It is so, that on Wednesday last past ye and I. Pamping and
Edmund Broom were indicted of Felony at the Sessions here in
Norwich, for shooting off a gun at Caister, in August last past,
which gun slew two men, I, Pamping, and Broom as principal,
and ye as accessary, notwithstanding ¹ Townshend and ² Lomner
hold an opinion that the verdict is void, for there were two of
the inquest that would not agree to the indictment, and in as
much as they two were agreed in other matters, and not in that,
and that they two were not discharged from the remnant at such
time as that verdict of your indictment was given, their opinion
is that all the verdict is void, as well of all other matters as of
yours; whether their opinion be good or not I cannot determine,
nor themselves neither.

I pray you let not this matter be slept, for I can think that
my Lord of Norfolk's counsel will cause the widows to take an
appeal, and to remove it up into the King's Bench at the be-
ginning of this term; Townshend hath promised me that he
shall be at London on Tuesday next coming, and then ye may
commune with him in that matter, and take his advice.

Item, Townshend and Lomner think that and (if) ye have
good counsel, ye may justify the keeping of the place for the
peaceable possession that ye have had in it more than three year;
but in conclusion, all this is done for nought else but for to en-
fore you to take a direction with my Lord of Norfolk.

I understood by R. Southwell, for he and I communed in this
matter right largely betwixt him and me, insomuch he telleth me
that and (if) I be at London in the week next after Saint Peter,
at which time he shall be there himself, he saith that my Lady
hath promised me her good ladyship, and sent me word by him
in as much as he spake for me to her, that she would remember
mine old service, and forget the great displeasure, in such wise
that I shall understand that the suit that I have made to my Lord
her husband and her, shall turn to your advantage and mine both,
more than we ween as yet, or shall understand till such time as
I have spoken with her good grace; and upon this promise I
have promised Southwell to meet with him at London that same
week next after Saint Peter; wherefore I would passingly fain
that ye were in London at that season, or nigh about London, so
that I might understand at your place, where that I might speak
with you or them (before) I speak with my my Lady.

I purpose to go to 3 Canterbury on foot this next week with
God's grace, and so to come to London from thence.

I pray you see that I be safe for Parker's and Harry Collett's
matter.

⁴ Southwell told me this, that if so be that ye will yourself,
ye shall have both good lordship and ladyship, and money, or
lands, or both, and all your matters set clear; what that he
meaneth I cannot say.

As for all other matters in this country, I shall do as well as I
may for fault (default) of money till I speak with you; I have
many collars on, as I shall tell you when I come.

No more, but God rpeserve you and yours; written at Nor-
wich, (the) Friday next after Corpus Christi day.

⁵ JOHN PASTON.

I did as much as I could to have le (hindered) the indictments,
but it would not be, as I shall inform you, and Townshend
knoweth the same.

    Norwich, Friday,
         22d of June, 1470.
         10 E. IV.